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In The Know is your daily briefing on Oklahoma policy-related news. OK Policy encourages the support of Oklahoma’s state and local media, which are vital to an informed citizenry. Inclusion of a story does not necessarily mean endorsement by the Oklahoma Policy Institute. Some stories included here are behind paywall or require subscription. Subscribe to In The Know and see past editions.
Oklahoma News
Oklahoma ends federal food program for schools with expanded hours: The Oklahoma State Department of Education has discontinued a federal program that funded third meals in public schools that operate with extended hours. State Superintendent Lindel Fields said the U.S. Department of Agriculture encouraged his administration to end the program. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Oklahoma schools struggle after third-meal program funding cut [KOCO]
- OSDE ends third meal option program for school districts [KFOR]
State Government News
Google to invest in state water improvements as it builds Oklahoma data centers: Google announced $30 million for Oklahoma to “support community water sources” and “to responsibly manage water resources in the communities where it builds and operates data centers.” [Tulsa World]
Oklahoma Attorney General announces new $12 million opioid settlement: Oklahoma is expected to receive approximately $12 million from a newly announced settlement with opioid manufacturers. [KOSU]
Oklahoma-Texas passenger rail service Heartland Flyer avoids shutdown, for now: It appeared the Heartland Flyer was facing the end of the line this year. But funding for Oklahoma’s only passenger rail service is back on track, for now. [KOSU]
Opinion: Oklahomans needs serious people to solve insurance crisis: One would think that those seeking to lead Oklahoma’s government and oversee its insurance marketplace would recognize how these insurer practices wreak havoc on consumers and businesses. Yet, much of the public discussion has centered on insurance industry “tort reform” talking points — the false promise that insurance premiums will fall if consumers lose the ability to hold insurers accountable in court for unfair claims settlement practices. Instead, consumers who must fight to force insurers to honor their contracts are blamed for filing too many lawsuits. [Birny Birnbaum / The Oklahoman]
Opinion, This Week in Oklahoma Politics: Primary runoff elections, voting on state questions, Rep. Danny Williams investigation and more (podcast): The panelists talk about the upcoming Republican gubernatorial election and other runoff races as well as the two State Questions on the ballot. The trio also discusses the State Ethics Commission investigating Seminole Republican Rep. Danny Williams, Secretary of State Ben Lepak facing accusations of public intoxication and Gov. Kevin Stitt calling for an investigation of two local Muslim organizations as potential threats and foreign terrorists. [KOSU]
Federal Government News
How Oklahoma law enforcement is driving Trump’s deportation push: Oklahoma law enforcement continues to prove its value to the Trump administration’s mass deportation agenda. Here is the latest on the growing number of immigration enforcement partnerships between local, state and federal authorities. [KOSU]
Has every educational statistic gotten worse since the Department of Education was created?: No. Multiple long-term educational indicators show clear increases since the federal Department of Education was created in 1979. [Oklahoma Watch]
Voting and Election News
With Trump’s backing, Mike Mazzei embraced the smelter. Inola residents aren’t convinced: The Republican gubernatorial candidate says the proposed aluminum plant will be safe for nearby farms and cattle. But residents have challenged some of his claims about fluoride emissions. [The Frontier]
- Lawyers suing State Farm donated to Drummond, State Farm agents donated to Mazzei [KFOR]
- These big names have donated to Drummond, Mazzei runoff campaigns [The Oklahoman]
- Previewing the Republican Runoff for Governor [Oklahoma Watch]
Oklahomans head to the polls for first day of early voting in primary runoff: Oklahomans braved the scorching heat Thursday and began casting their votes to narrow down which candidates will make it to the general election ballot in November. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Early voting for August runoffs and state questions starts [The Oklahoman]
- Drummond and Mazzei’s campaign platforms diverge ahead of runoff [The Oklahoman]
- From OK Policy: What’s on the ballot for the August 25, 2026 elections in Oklahoma?
Election Roundup
- U.S. Senate Race: Oklahoma Democrats fight for party nomination, winner to face Rep. Hern [News 9]
- ‘Safety is paramount’: John Pfeiffer, Kevin West pitch priorities in labor commissioner runoff debate [NonDoc]
- Oklahoma Labor Commissioner Republican Runoff Debate (video) [News 9]
- Bitter political battle under way for state House seat in Oklahoma’s Bigfoot country [The Oklahoman]
- Hall-Harper, Wilson and Williams make their case to District 1 voters before Election Day [The Black Wall Street Times]
- Grocery stores. Third spaces. Code enforcement. Here’s what Tulsans say District 1 needs. [The Oklahoma Eagle]
- Tulsa City Council elections: District 3 candidates make their final arguments [Tulsa World]
- Tulsa City Council elections: District 5 candidates make their final arguments [Tulsa World]
- Tulsa City Council elections: District 7 candidates make their closing arguments [Tulsa World]
Education News
Thousands of emergency certificates approved by Board of Education: The Board of Education approved over 2,000 emergency teacher certificates at Thursday’s board meeting. This comes as the state suffers from a serious teacher hiring crisis. [KFOR]
Education Watch: State Auditor Said $3.73 Million Misspent in Tulsa Cautionary Tale for Other Schools: A second forensic state audit of Tulsa Public Schools has turned up $3.73 million in reported overpayments and misappropriation – far more than the $780,000 of suspected fraud initially found, State Auditor and Inspector Cindy Byrd announced this week. [Oklahoma Watch]
Health News
Federal judge halts proposed HHS changes to teen pregnancy prevention program: A federal judge in the District of Columbia issued an order Wednesday blocking U.S. Health and Human Services from implementing sweeping changes to grants under the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program while a lawsuit proceeds, but dozens of existing grants that were canceled this summer will remain so for now, unless the administration chooses to reinstate the funds. [Oklahoma Voice]
Justice System News
Only woman on Oklahoma’s death row to appeal to U.S. Supreme Court: Last week, the Tenth Circuit Court declined to rehear the case of the only woman on Oklahoma’s death row. Now, her defense is planning to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. [KGOU]
What Oklahoma City police revealed about officers’ misuse of Flock cameras: Oklahoma City police say an internal audit flagged one sergeant’s inappropriate use of the Flock database, while a separate complaint led to corrective action against another officer. [News 9]
- 2 officers disciplined for misusing Flock cameras [KFOR]
‘Redemption Time’ asks Tulsa to see incarcerated artists beyond their sentences: When people enter prison, separation from the outside world can extend beyond their families, neighborhoods and careers. It can also remove them from the cultural communities where artists find audiences, feedback and connection. A Tulsa arts organization is working to challenge that isolation. [The Black Wall Street Times]
Economy & Business News
Charter acquired Cox. Here’s what it means for Oklahoma service: Charter Communications on Thursday announced it has completed a $34.5 billion acquisition of Cox Communications, closing a deal that will eventually replace the Cox name on every truck, storefront and billing statement in the state with the Spectrum brand, which is the consumer-facing brand used for its residential and commercial cable, internet, mobile and voice services. [The Oklahoman]
Local Headlines
- Deputy Chief Jonathan Brooks named Tulsa Police Department’s new police chief [Tulsa Flyer]
- Jonathan Brooks named Tulsa Police Department’s new chief [Tulsa World]
- Tulsa mayor selects new police chief [Public Radio Tulsa]
- Tulsans have until the end of August to enroll in EMSAcare. Here’s what’s changing. [Tulsa Flyer]
- Oklahoma County board moves money to pay sheriff for detainee transportation [The Oklahoman]
- Business owner speaks after OKC closes Virginia Avenue homeless encampment [KFOR]
- Drought prompts tighter water restrictions across Oklahoma City metro [KGOU]
Quote of the Day
“Why did this happen at this point, while we’re several weeks into the school year? What were the decisions and who were the people making those decisions? And can we get a little bit of background and resolution to these?”
– Haworth Superintendent Jerrod Lundry, questioning the State Department of Education’s decision this week, after school had already started, to discontinue a program that feeds school children a third meal during the school day. The state education department says the decision “came after a review by USDA officials who determined the program was not being operated according to federal guidelines in several instances.” [KFOR]
Number of the Day
27.3%
Oklahoma has the nation’s highest food insecurity rate for children at 27.3%, which is more than 1 in 4 children in the state. [Feeding America]
Policy Note
New Data Underscore SNAP Cost Shift’s Harm to Low-Income Families and State Budgets: The harmful Republican reconciliation law enacted last July made unprecedented cuts to food assistance through SNAP, including a provision slashing federal funding for SNAP benefits and imposing these costs on state budgets. As states scramble to reduce their exposure to this cost shift and implement the law’s other cuts, SNAP participation has already fallen by more than 4.5 million people, with likely more than 1.5 million children losing access based on available data from 19 states. In other words, SNAP-eligible people are losing out despite not being directly targeted by the new law. Compounding this dire outlook are new data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which indicate that as many as 35 states and one U.S. territory will be required to pay substantial new costs to continue participating in SNAP in fall 2027, with the remaining states at risk of facing this cost shift in future years. Congress should act now to grant all states the same two-year delay that some states received under the reconciliation law. [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities]
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